<p><strong>Signalman Tamaio Paiki talks about entering Tobruk after the seige. He served with the Signals Division. In this recording he recounts his observations of the battle leading up to it. </strong></p><p><strong>Tamaio lived in Christchurch where he was a reporter on the Star-Sun newspaper. He also taught children in England as a lecturer on an Imperial Institute panel that worked under the Ministry of Education to spread information about the Commonwealth. <a name="ftnref1"></a>[<a href="#ftn1">1</a>] He died in 1984 and is buried at Temuka Cemetery.<br /></strong></p><h2>Transcript</h2><p>Ki te iwi, ki nga hapu, ki nga marae, i Aotearoa, i te Waipounamu, tena koutou. Ki aku hakui, i Korerehu a Hariata. Ki aku tuahine - Pirihira, Amiria, ki taku kaumatua a Wiremu Mihaka. Ki aku tamariki - Winston, Jill and Gaynor, Barry, Bill me Tuhuru. Tenei te aroha, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou. </p><p>Naturally, I am proud to be the first full-blood representative of my race to arrive in the fortress of Tobruk. My unit was the first, or rather among the first to pass along the narrow east to west corridor from the desert into Tobruk which our air force, armoured units and artillery had smashed open through the strongly held enemy lines. We arrived in the early hours of the morning after a gruelling all night movements through the shell rid area. Incidentally we made this journey after being shelled continuously for two days and after repelling vicious, futile attacks by a large German force. Looking back over the three or four weeks when our division was in action, one’s mind simply sieves with the vivid memories of swift desert journeys. Our mechanised columns attacking relentlessly at many widely separated points. Every day, every night was full of incident and for me to discuss in detail the events of any particular day would take much more time than this broadcast permits. My most vivid recollection of our time out in the blue, is the tank battle which raged for two days when we were just north of Sidi Rezegh and which was in clear view about 7000 yards to the south and east. Enemy artillery together with mobile infantry stood in readiness to support their tanks. Our reconnaissance patrols reported that they were a numerically stronger force at this point than we were and that it was evident that they would attempt to crash through to re-join their other forces to the west. Through powerful binoculars I saw our light and heavy armoured units move forward just below the edge of an escarpment over which the Hun tanks must come. All day long on the first day the enemy tanks tried to come over but time and again they were driven back. The enemy renewed his attempts on the following morning only to meet the same determined resistance. The fight took a sudden change when a squadron of about twenty fighter planes from the RAF, god bless ‘em, started to straff his infantry. How we cheered when we saw the Jerries running in all directions trying to evade the hail of bullets and bombs from the air. Nor were their troubles ended here, our artillery suddenly opened fire and even in that first salvo several of their lorries burst into flames. It was a dramatic site and I was among those who climbed on top of a lorry and had a real grandstand view of it all. Before coming into the desert I like many others in the division wondered in what circumstances I would see or meet my first Hun. Of course I imagined he and I would be pelting lead and steel at each other but such was not the case. There were thirty one in the first group of Germans I saw. They passed through the lines of my unit, early one morning, having given themselves up as prisoners during the night. From a close inspection of them, my impression was that they had been fully fed and their clothes were of very indifferent quality. They were the first of several hundred prisoners I saw that day. From my own observations here in the Middle East, I really as one of the ranks would like the Prime Minister and the people of New Zealand to know three things: one – we will always earnestly strive to maintain the traditionally high name that New Zealanders have as a fighting force and so hasten the day of victory. Two – thanks to the sacrifices and the work of the people home there in our Dominion, we here are foremost among the best equipped soldiers in the world and three – the officers who direct the operations of the New Zealand division and particularly the officers of my own unit are men whose courage, ability and leadership have won the unstinted admiration of the men in the ranks. </p><p>E te iwi, ka mutu i konei, tenei a Te Maio Paiki. Hei konei ra, hei konei ra, hei konei ra.</p><h3>Footnotes</h3><p><a name="ftn1"></a>[<a href="#ftnref1">1</a>] <a href="http://teaohou.natlib.govt.nz/journals/teaohou/images/Mao16TeA/Mao16TeA…; target="_blank">Te Ao Hou</a>, No 16 (October 1956), p.13</p>
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<p><strong>Sound file</strong> from Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, ref: <a href="https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue-item?recor…;. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright.</p>
<p><strong>The Ngarimu Victoria Cross Investiture Meeting and Reception to His Excellency the Governor General, 6 October 1943. Governor General Cyril Newall addresses the gathering at the investiture ceremony. He reads the citation for the award and presents the VC to Hamuera Ngarimu.</strong></p><p class="maintext"><strong>On 4 June 1943 news was broadcast world-wide that 2/Lt Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu had been awarded the Victoria Cross for his role in the attack on Point 209 at Tebaga Gap, Tunisia. It was the sixth VC to be awarded to a New Zealander in the war, and the first to a Maori soldier.</strong></p><p class="maintext"><strong>The public investiture ceremony where the Governor-General presented the award to Mr & Mrs Hamuera Ngarimu was held at Whakarua Park in Ruatoria, Ngarimu’s home town. At the time it was one of the largest and most fully documented Māori gatherings ever held.<a href="#ftn1">[1]</a><a name="ftnref1"></a> Despite the rain and mud, 7000 people attended the event, including the Prime Minister and other parliamentarians, Battalion members on furlough, Home Guardsmen and 1300 schoolchildren, who came from all parts of the country. Three hundred performers had been brought together from the Gisborne district alone. Te Whānau-ā-Apanui and Ngāti Porou, led by Sir Apirana Ngata hosted the event that featured five hours of entertainment. Members of the National Film Unit, the official Government photographer - John Pascoe, and the press documented the event. Cameramen from the US Marine Corps also headed to Ruatoria to record the event. Read more about the event <a href="/node/3990#Ngarimu">here</a>.</strong></p><div><strong>There were <a href="https://www.nzhistory.govt.nz/files/documents/28mb/ngarimu-investiture-… booklets</a> printed for the occassion: </strong></div><div><strong>1) <em>Souvenir of the Ngarimu Victoria Cross Investiture Meeting</em> (NSP)</strong></div><div><strong>2) <em>Supplement to the Souvenir Programme</em> (SSP)</strong></div><div> </div><h2>Transcript</h2><p>My Lord Bishop, Mr Prime Minister, and all Maori assembled people. I am very proud to be here to present, on behalf of His Majesty, before this mighty gathering, to Mr Hamuera Ngarimu the Victoria Cross awarded by the King to his son 2/Lt Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu and to invest other members of the Maori Battalion with certain orders and decorations which His Majesty has awarded them for their courage and devotion.</p><p>It is fitting that we should at this moment consider the debt which we all owe to the Maori Battalion. By their deeds of valour they have won for themselves a place in the history of war for centuries to come they will be remembered with gratitude and praise by free men and women throughout the world. Maori tradition is full of stories of the courage of your forefathers. Your own sons and brothers have shown that they have inherited that courage to the full. They have, moreover, given incontestable proof of the unity of the British Empire. When one considers that little over one hundred years ago, one hundred years after the British came to New Zealand the Maori people have sent from the opposite ends of the world the flower of their youth to fight for their King and country, one then realises how living a thing is Maori loyalty and how real is the friendship of the Maori with the Pakeha.</p><p>Some of them will never return to their native land. It fell to their lot to pay the greatest sacrifice of all. They have joined their warrior ancestors in Hawaiki. To those who mourn for them we must offer our grateful sympathy and pledge ourselves that their sacrifice shall not have been made in vain. Among these is 2/Lt Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu to whom the King has awarded the highest decoration for valour that the British Empire knows. In making this award the King not only honours Ngarimu himself, but through him, his Battalion and his country.</p><p>No words of mine can adequately express my admiration for his courage or my grief for the loss which his family has suffered. But these words of comfort I would offer. They are very old, they were written many, many centuries ago and they will remain true until the end of all time.</p><p><em>"They truly live who yield their lives fighting against the foe in the fierce battle amidst the flash of swords and the whirling of the spear.</em></p><p><em>Men of ancient race that were foremost in the fight wielding their swords who stood in the melee as some mountain top rises above the flood.</em></p><p><em>What wonder if their glory liveth when all dissemblers have passed away." [<a href="#ftn2">2</a>]<a name="ftnref2"></a><br /></em></p><p>And now, before I present the Victoria Cross to Mr Ngarimu, I would like just to read to you the official citation which describes this magnificent courage of his son.</p><p>Second Lieutenant Ngarimu commanded a platoon in an attack upon the vital hill feature, Point 209. He was given the task of attacking and capturing an under-feature point forward of Point 209 itself which was held in considerable strength by the enemy. He led his men with great dash and determination straight up the face of the hill, undeterred by the intense mortar and machine-gun fire, which was causing considerable casualties. Displaying courage and leadership of the highest order, he was himself first on the hill crest, personally annihilating in the process at least two enemy machine-gun posts. In the face of such a determined attack the remainder of the enemy fled, but further advance was impossible as the reverse slope was swept by machine-gun fire from Point 209 itself.</p><p>Under cover of a most intense mortar barrage the enemy counter-attacked in an attempt to regain their dug-out positions. Second Lieutenant Ngarimu ordered his men to stand up and engage the enemy man for man. They did this with such good effect that the attackers were virtually mown down, Second Lieutenant Ngarimu personally killing several. During this encounter he was twice wounded, once by fire in the shoulder from a rifle and later by shrapnel in the leg, and though urged by both his commanding officer, his company commander and the battalion commander to go out, he refused to do so, saying that he would stay a little while with his men.</p><p>Darkness found this officer and his depleted platoon lying on the rock face of the forward slope of the hill feature, with the enemy in a similar position on the reverse slope about twenty yards away. Time and again, throughout the night, the enemy launched fierce attacks in an attempt to dislodge 2nd Lieutenant Ngarimu and his men, but each counter-attack was beaten off entirely by this officer’s inspired leadership. During one of these counter-attacks the enemy, by using hand grenades, succeeded in piercing a certain part of the line. Without hesitation Second Lieutenant Ngarimu rushed to the threatened area, and those of the enemy he did not kill he drove back with stones and with his tommy-gun.</p><p>During another determined counter-attack by the enemy, part of his line broke. Yelling out orders and encouragement, he went to his dislodged men, rallied his men and led them in a fierce onslaught back into their old positions. All through the night, between attacks, he and his men were heavily harassed by machine-gun and mortar fire, but Second Lieutenant Ngarimu watched his line very carefully, cheering his men on and inspiring them by his personal conduct. Morning found him still in possession of the hill feature but only he and two unwounded other ranks remained. Reinforcements were sent to him. In the morning the enemy again counter-attacked and it was during this attack that Second Lieutenant Ngarimu met his death. He was killed whilst on his feet defiantly facing the enemy with his tommy-gun at his hip. As he fell he came to rest almost on top of those of the enemy who had fallen to his own gun just before he fell to theirs. The hill feature this officer had so gallantly defended was strewn with enemy dead and was a bold witness of the great courage and fortitude which Second Lieutenant Ngarimu had fought and died.</p><p>That is the deed for which the Victoria Cross has been awarded. Will Mr Hamuera Ngarimu please come forward. (<em>Crowd applauds</em>)<em> </em></p><p><strong>Footnotes</strong></p><p>[<a href="#ftnref1">1</a>]<a name="ftn1"></a> <em>Nga Tama Toa, </em>p. 270</p><p>[<a href="#ftnref2">2</a>]<a name="ftn2"></a> Poem by Anonymous from <em>South Indian Tamil Book Of Poems</em>, see Robert Bridges (ed), <a href="https://www.bartleby.com/97/419.html">The Spirit of Man: An Anthology</a>, Longmans, Green & Co, 2010.</p><p> </p>
<p><strong>Sound file</strong> from Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, ref: <a href="https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue-item?recor…;. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright.</p><p><strong>Image</strong><br />The image is a detail of DA-01832-F. See full image <a href="/node/16762">here</a>.<br /><a href="https://natlib.govt.nz/collections">Alexander Turnbull Library</a><br />Sir Cyril Newall presents to Mr Hamuera Ngarimu the VC awarded to 2 Lt Te Moananui-a-kiwa Ngarimu - Photograph taken by J D Pascoe Date: 6 Oct 1943.</p><p>Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa must be obtained before any reuse of this image.</p>
<p><strong>On 28 February 1943, while stationed outside Tripoli, 2/Lt Moana Ngarimu was one of a group of selected members of the Maori Battalion who broadcast messages home to New Zealand. 11 men were selected from each of the Battalion’s tribal companies to represent that company’s “tribes” and “sub-tribes” equally. Each soldier was to prepare an appropriate 30 second greeting in writing, in Maori or English, preferably in Maori. Details referring to this were noted in <a href="http://www.nzhistory.govt.nz/files/documents/28mb/RO22-14.pdf" target="_blank">Routine Order 22</a> on 26th February 1943 and this <a href="http://www.nzhistory.govt.nz/files/documents/28mb/BroadcastList-18.pdf&…; target="_blank">personnel list</a> on the 28th of the same month. The recipient, for whom the message was intended, was also to be stated. These written greetings had to be submitted to Headquarters two days prior to the broadcast. </strong></p><p><strong>Ngarimu was killed 27 days after making the recording during the battle for Point 209 at Tebaga Gap, Tunisia. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery, the first and only VC that went to a Maori in the Second World War.</strong></p><p>[Site editors note: There is significant static throughout the whole recording]<strong><br /></strong></p><h2><strong>Transcription<br /></strong></h2><p><strong>Radio announcer: </strong>Next a message for Mrs H. Ngarimu, at Ruatoria, from Lieutenant M.N. Ngarimu.</p><p><strong>2/Lt Ngarimu: </strong>Ngati Porou, Whanau-a-Apanui, tena korua. Waipiro, Whareponga, Hiruharama, Ruatorea, Tuparoa. Tera te wahi, tena koutou. <br />O tatou mate, aitua, o te wa kainga na, ki o matou hoa hoki kua hinga i te pae o te pakanga, kua ngaro, kua taotu. <br />Tangihia e te iwi, kei te tangihia ngakautia atu e matou. Kei te pai, kei te ora te Wiwi e noho atu nei i roto i Tiripori. <br />Kei roto i nga whakaaro, kei kona, kei a koutou. Hei kona ra e te iwi mo tenei wa. Pohatukura, kia ora koutou.</p><p><strong><em>Translation</em></strong></p><p>Greetings to the Ngati Porou and Whanau-a-Apanui tribes. Greetings to the people of Waipiro, Whareponga, Hiruharama, Ruatorea and Tuparoa. Greetings also to the rest of my kinsmen on the East Coast. <br />I also pay tribute to those who have passed on at home and to my comrades in arms who have fallen in battle. I wish to remember those who have been killed in action, are missing, and the wounded. Mourn for them as we mourn on foreign shores. The morale of C Company is good at the moment. The men are well in Tripoli. <br />But as always, our thoughts are at home. Farewell for now, and to my family at Pohatukura my very best.</p><p> </p>
<p><strong>Sound file</strong> from Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, ref: <a href="https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue-item?recor…;. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright.</p><p><strong>Image<br /></strong><span>Te Moananui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu. New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency. Ref: DA-11264-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. <a href="http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22816137">http://natlib.govt.nz/records/2…;
<p><strong>In 1943 the reconstructed centennial house Tama te Kapua was opened at Ōhinemutu, Rotorua. The gathering was attended by many tribes and </strong><strong>Reinforcements to the Māori Battalion which had been trained at Ōhaewai and other places in the North Auckland area was strongly represented at the opening ceremony. The Battalion (who were located in the Middle East at the time) is also remembered in the speeches given on the day. Sir Apirana Ngata officiated over the proceedings.</strong></p><p><strong>This recording of the <acronym title="ceremonial welcome">pōhiri </acronym><em></em>includes <acronym title="ceremonial call of welcome">karanga</acronym>, <acronym title="dance of challenge or welcome; chant with accompanying actions ">haka</acronym>, <acronym title="dance accompanied with song">peruperu </acronym><em></em>and chants.</strong></p><p><strong><br />Site editor note:</strong> This recording has not been edited. It includes many gaps where there is no talking only sounds from the gathering. This symbol (?) indicates the words are missing or unclear. Where text is translated it appears in italics and in circular ( ) brackets.<strong> </strong>Contextual text (i.e. not part of the soundfile) appears in square [ ] brackets.</p><h2><strong>Transcript<br /></strong></h2><p><em>Recording misses the beginning of the peruperu</em> [Uhi, uhi mai te waero! E ko roto ko]</p><p><strong>Group:</strong> ...taku puta<br />He puta aha te puta<br />He puta nui te puta<br />E rua nei ko te puta <br />Ha hei!</p><p><strong>Leader: </strong>Whiti<strong> </strong>whiti …<br />[karanga heard in background]<br /><strong>Group: </strong>Hei<br /><strong>Leader: </strong>Tenei tau taua(?)<br /><strong>Leader:</strong> Uhi, uhi mai te waero! <br /><strong>Group: </strong> E ko roto ko taku puta<br />He puta aha te puta<br />He puta nui te puta <br />E rua nei ko te puta<br />Ha hei ha</p><p><strong>Leader:</strong> A whiti whiti…<br /><strong>Group:</strong> Hei! <br /><strong>Leader:</strong> A, hei runga, hei raro<br /><strong>Group:</strong> Hi ha </p><p><strong>Leader:</strong>Aa, koia ano koia ano <em> (It is quite so, it is quite so)</em><a name="ftnref1"></a><a href="#ftn1">[1]</a><br /><strong>Group:</strong> Aa koia ano he peruperu <em>(The peruperu is quite so - )</em><br />Ina hoki te taiaroa <em>(When a captive man)</em><br />Whakatirohia mai ki te whana <em>(Is flaunted befre the clansmen)</em><br />A ha parerewha, parerewha <em>(His eyes are wide open, wide open)</em></p><p><strong>Leader:</strong> A kumekumea <em>(Pull hither!)</em> <a name="ftnref2"></a><a href="#ftn2">[2]</a> <br /><strong>Group:</strong> A totoia <em>(Drag hither)</em><br /><strong>Leader:</strong> A kumekumea <em>(Pull hither!)</em><br /><strong>Group:</strong> A totoia <em>(Drag hither!)</em><br /><strong>Leader: </strong>Aue, e to ra <em>(Drag)</em><br /><strong>Group: </strong>Ki te tahataha e <em>(to the steep bank)</em><br /><strong>Leader:</strong> Aue, e to ra <em>(Drag)</em><br /><strong>Group: </strong>Ki te taparere <em>(to the cliff edge)</em><br />Nga kokako <em>(the crows)</em><br />huataratara <em>(with serrated plumes)</em><br />Ki Waikurekure ha <em>(to Waikurekure, yes)</em><br />Aa ki Waikurekure ha, <em>(Ah, to Waikurekure, yes)</em><br />Aa ki Waikurekure ha,<br />Aa ki Waikurekure ha,<br />Aa ki Waikurekure ha,<br />Aa ki Waikurekure ha</p><p><strong>Leader:</strong> Aa whiti whiti<br /><strong>Group:</strong> Hai<br /><strong>Leader:</strong> Tena i hurihia</p><p><strong>Leader:</strong> Aa kia kutia <em>(Crush the enemy) </em><a name="ftnref3"></a><a href="#ftn3">[3]</a> <br /><strong>Group:</strong> Au, au <em>(In this way!)</em><br /><strong>Leader: </strong> Aha kia wherahia <em>(Open out your ranks)</em><br /><strong>Group: </strong> Au au<br />Kia rere atu te kohuru <em>(Jump aside, slayer)</em><br />ki tahaki <em>(jump aside)</em><br />titiro mai ai <em>(behold the damage you have done)</em><br />A ha, a ha, aue</p><p><strong>Karanga:</strong> …(?) ki te Papaiouru e…</p><p><strong>Apirana Ngata:</strong> Koutou te hunga wahine ahua nukunuku atu no te mea whakakiia te…<br />[Karanga continues in the background]<br /><strong>Apirana:</strong> Aa toia mai<br /><strong>Group:</strong> te waka <strong><br />Apirana:</strong> Ki te urunga<br /><strong>Group:</strong> te waka <br /><strong>Leader:</strong> Ki te moenga<br /><strong>Group:</strong> te waka <br />Ki te takotoranga i takoto ai te waka</p><p>[Haka in the background]</p><p><strong>Leader:</strong> A ha Te Arawa e<br /><strong>Group:</strong> E<br /><strong>Leader:</strong> A ha Te Arawa e<br /><strong>Group:</strong> E<br />Ko te whakaariki <em>('Tis the invading army)</em> <a name="ftnref4"></a><a href="#ftn4">[4]</a><br />Ko te whakaariki <em>('Tis the invading army)</em><br />Tukua mai ki a piri, tukua mai ki a tata <em>(Let it come near, let it come close)</em><br />Kia eke mai, ki runga ki te paepae poto a Houmaitawhiti! <em>(Let it reach the very threshold of Houmaitawhiti!)</em> </p><p><strong>Leader:</strong> Toia mai<br /><strong>Group:</strong> te waka<br /><strong>Leader:</strong> Ki te urunga <br /><strong>Group:</strong> te waka <br /><strong>Leader:</strong> Ki te moenga<br /><strong>Group:</strong> te waka <br />Ki te takotoranga i takoto ai te waka</p><p>[Pohiri ends]</p><p><strong>Apirana:</strong> Whakatangihia mai te pere o te wharekarakia. Whakatangihia te pere o te wharekarakia</p><p><strong>Waiata – Maori Battalion</strong> [faintly in background & gradually louder]</p><p>Maori Battalion march to Victory <br />Maori Battalion staunch and true <br />Maori Battalion march to glory <br />Take the honour of the people with you <br />We will march, march, march to the enemy <br />And we’ll fight right to the end <br />For God for King and for country, AUE<br />Ake ake kia kaha e.</p><p><strong>Unknown voice:<em> </em></strong>Could the operator put the other microphone on please?</p><p><strong>Apirana:</strong> Te karakia mo a tatau tamariki i mate ki te pakanga. <br />Bishop Bennett, kei whea te pihopa…kei hea te pihopa<strong>. </strong><br />Na kua mohio koutou Te Arawa ne, kiia atu ai kia ata noho mai koutou ki kora ra. Kua tau wa tatau tamariki hoia ki waho o te marae. <br />Ko Peneti [Bennett] tenei e karangatia nei – ko Peneti...</p><p> </p><h3>Endnotes</h3><p><a name="ftn1"></a><a href="#ftnref1">[1]</a> Translation and text for this peruperu taken from Wikiriwhi, H. te M, ‘The Queen in Rotorua: Part II’, <em>Te Ao Hou</em>, No. 15, July 1956, pp 12- 15</p><p><a name="ftn2"></a><a href="#ftnref2">[2]</a> Translation for this chant taken from Hinemoa Ruataupare Awatere, <em>Awatere: A soldier's story, </em>Huia: Wellington, 2003, p.246</p><p><a name="ftn3"></a><a href="#ftnref3">[3]</a> Translation for this peruperu taken from Hinemoa Ruataupare Awatere, <em>Awatere: A soldier's story, </em>Huia: Wellington, 2003, pp 245-246</p><p><a name="ftn4"></a><a href="#ftnref4">[4]</a> Translation for this haka taken from Hinemoa Ruataupare Awatere, <em>Awatere: A soldier's story, </em>Huia: Wellington, 2003, p.240</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p><strong>Sound file</strong> from Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, ref: <a href="https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue-item?recor…;. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright.</p><p><strong>Image<br /></strong>Members of the Maori Battalion performing a haka at the opening of the meeting house Tamatekapua, at Ohinemutu. Pascoe, John Dobree, 1908-1972 :Photographic albums, prints and negatives. Ref: 1/4-000247-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. <a href="http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22491177">http://natlib.govt.nz/records/2…;
<p><strong>Taiamai Amohau gives a welcome speech to those gathered to celebrate the opening of the reconstructed centennial house Tama te Kapua. 28th Maori Battalion Reinforcements were well represented on the day. </strong></p><p><strong>Amohau's speech is prefaced with an introduction by Sir Apirana Ngata.</strong></p><p>Site editor’s note: Ngata's introduction marred by soundfile quality. <br />The audio has had some slight editing</p><h2><strong>Transcript</strong></h2><p><strong>Apirana Ngata: </strong>Rotorua recording 4A. This is one of the recordings taken at the official opening of the Tama te Kapua meeting house at Ohinemutu Rotorua in March of 1943. The two chiefs – Arawa chiefs who were detailed to welcome the distinguished visitors were Taiamai Amohau and Hemana Pokiha.</p><p>Their recordings are very interesting and valuable now as examples of Arawa speech and dialect on formal occasions and as the record of the speech of two men who have since died.</p><p>4A is by Taiamai Amahou, one of the high chiefs of the Arawa tribe – the son of Te Kiwi Amahou and a descendent of that Amohau to whom the offer of the Maori Kingship was made in the Fifties, nearly a hundred years ago. He turned it down with the remark that there were not sufficient people to support the Kingship should he undertake the mission.</p><p><strong>Haka: </strong>Ko te whakaariki<br />Ko te whakaariki<br />Tukua mai ki a piri, tukua mai ki a tata<br />Kia eke mai, ki runga ki te paepae poto a Houmaitawhiti!</p><p><strong>Kepa Ehau:</strong> Kaati i kona, mutua i kona</p><p><strong>Kepa Ehau:</strong> <em>‘tis the distinguished, this the illustrious, tis the renowned, bring him hither, draw him hither, even to the very doorstep of the house of Houmaitawhiti</em></p><p><strong>Taiamai Amohau:</strong> E nga iwi, e nga reo e pae nei tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou.<strong><br />Kepa Ehau: </strong><em>Tribes and associated tribes, you do us the honour of assisting us today to attend the welcome to the Governor General </em></p><p><em></em><strong>Taiamai Amohau: </strong>Tuatahi, e koro Pereiha tena koe, tena koe, tena koe.<strong><br />Kepa Ehau: </strong><em>Mr Fraser, greetings and salutations</em></p><p><strong>Taiamai Amohau: </strong>Ka nui te koa o te ngakau i te mea kua tatu mai koe ki te marae nei kia mihia ano koe e o iwi Maori<strong> <br />Kepa Ehau: </strong><em>It gladdens the heart to see you here today to assist us to welcome his Excellency</em></p><p><strong>Taiamai Amohau: </strong>No reira tena koe i te ahuatanga o to tatau matua o to hoa ko Hauiti e takoto mai ana<strong><br />Kepa Ehau: </strong><em>We greet you as the successor to our late departed friend Mr Savage</em></p><p><strong>Taiamai Amohau: </strong>Te manuhiri tuarangi, te mangai o te Kingi - haere mai, haere mai, haere mai, haere mai.<strong><br />Kepa Ehau: </strong><em>The Governor General, representative of His Majesty the King, welcome</em><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Taiamai Amohau: </strong>Haere mai te tangata rongonui i tenei ra. Otira, i te wa i timata ai tenei pakanga.<strong><br />Kepa Ehau: </strong><em>Welcome, he who started and brought into being the youngest arm of the British Forces</em>.</p><p><strong>Taiamai Amohau: </strong>Te tangata nana i whakaropu – i whakaropu te ahuatanga o nga ropu reremanu i te wa i timata ai tenei pakanga<strong><br />Kepa Ehau: </strong><em>And have reached to the pinnacle of the Air Force. Marshall of the Royal Force, welcome!</em><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Taiamai Amohau: </strong>I tenei ra kua tae mai koe e Koro - haere mai, haere mai, haere mai, haere mai<strong><br />Kepa Ehau: </strong><em>You’re here today and it is my bound and duty to extend the hand of welcome to you.</em></p><p><strong>Taiamai Amohau: </strong>Haere mai kia kite i to iwi Maori e tau nei<strong><br />Kepa Ehau: </strong><em>Here, you have the Maori race before you.</em></p><p><strong>Taiamai Amohau: </strong>Te iwi Maori e kiia nei he piri pono ki te ahuatanga o to tatau Kuini e noho mai nei, heoi ano i te wa o o tatau koeke tae mai ki tenei ra<br /><strong>Kepa Ehau: </strong><em>Loyal from the time of our forebears to the throne of Queen Victoria, <strong>of </strong>revered memory.</em></p><p><strong>Taiamai Amohau: </strong>Hai tautoko i tenei korero e te matua, tenei wa matau tamariki e noho tahi mai ra, e whawhai tahi mai ra i te taha i o ratau hoa pakeha i tenei ra.<strong><br />Kepa Ehau: </strong><em>Aye, we need not flinch your Excellency to the crème of the Maori race who is still carrying on the great fight.</em></p><p><strong>Taiamai Amohau: </strong>Ahakoa takoto mai ratau i te marae o te pakanga, kaore e pouritia ana no te take, ko te putake i whawhaitia ai tenei – i uru ai ratau ki te pakanga i tenei ra ko te hapai i te mana mo to tatau Kuini.<br /><strong>Kepa Ehau: </strong><em>Many of them have fallen; many of them have paid the supreme sacrifice. We grieve not because they fall in the cause of righteousness and truth</em></p><p><strong>Taiamai Amohau: </strong>I tenei ra, e te matua – i tenei ra kua kite koe te ahuatanga katoa – nga whakamaharatanga mo te haurua o te kotahi rau i noho ai te iwi Maori i raro i to maru, i te mana o te Kingi. Tae noa ki wa matau tamariki e noho mai ra i te pakanga<strong><br />Kepa Ehau: </strong><em>Hence we, those who are left behind, have constructed these centennial memorials as an acknowledgement of their courage and their bravery and in memorial of them today</em><strong><em><br /></em></strong></p><p><strong>Taiamai Amohau: </strong>E koa ana o matau ngakau i te mea ka hurihia tenei o to matau tipuna hei whakamaharatanga mo tenei rau tau<strong><br />Kepa Ehau: <em>The heart of this land </em></strong><em> –of this our ancestral hall has been included in the midst of those memorials to commemorate</em> <em>the hundreds who served for this country of ours</em></p><p><strong>Taiamai Amohau: </strong>Ka noho ano ai te whawhatanga a o tatau koroua, na ratau nei whakatere i runga te moana ki te kuini – te Kuini o Ingarangi tae noa ki nga Maori katoa kia piripono ki a Ingarangi… [words illegible]<strong><br />Kepa Ehau: </strong><em>We but follow in the footsteps of those of our people who have departed, who on bended knees tendered their allegiance to that great white queen, we are their cousins and we do likewise</em></p><p><strong>Taiamai Amohau: </strong>I tenei ra e tu nei to tatau kuini – te wahine nana i whakatere te hua, kia manaakitia to iwi Maori i raro i nga manaakitanga a te Kingitanga<strong><br />Kepa Ehau: </strong><em>Let her stand, our great white queen in our midst and all that is dear that is light to us we derive from that great stature of that great white woman</em></p><p><strong>Taiamai Amohau: </strong>No reira he aha te tohu – he aha te tohu ma matau i tenei ra, e tangi ana matau ki runga i te ahuatanga o tenei pakanga. Ara i rongo atu i te ahuatanga o tana mokopuna e noho mai ra i te pae o te pakanga<strong><br />Kepa Ehau: </strong><em>What is the position today? Her great grandson occupies that throne and we must do our duty as his loyal subjects to join with you in this great course</em></p><p><strong>Taiamai Amohau: </strong>Toia mai <br /><strong>Group: </strong>te waka<br /><strong>Leader: </strong>Ki te urunga<br /><strong>Group: </strong>te waka<br /><strong>Leader: </strong>Ki te moenga<br /><strong>Group: </strong>te waka<br />Ki te takotoranga i takoto ai te waka</p><p><strong><br /></strong></p>
<p><strong>Sound file</strong> from Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, ref: <a href="https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue-item?recor…;. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright.</p>
<p><strong>Hemana Pokiha welcomes guests the opening of the reconstructed centennial house Tama te Kapua. Along with many tribes, reinforcements of the 28th Maori Battalion also attended the gathering. Kepa Ehau provides a live translation of the speech.<br /></strong></p><p><strong>Pokiha’s speech is prefaced with an introduction by Sir Apirana Ngata.</strong></p><p>Site editor’s note: the sound file has had some slight editing.</p><h2>Transcript</h2><p><strong>Apirana Ngata: </strong>The next recording, 5A, was taken on the <a href="/node/21494" target="_blank">same occasion</a> and was a speech of welcome by the late Hemana Pokiha one of the high chiefs of the Arawa tribe. And the interpretation is by Mr Kepa Ehau. Hemana Pokiha was the grandfather of Lieutenant Colonel C.M.Bennett formerly attached to the National Broadcasting Service.</p><p>Hemana Pokiha was one of the greatest Maori orators of his time. Well known on many maraes throughout the North Island on the great occasions when the tribes all gather. He died, four years ago amid nationwide regrets at his loss.</p><p><strong>Kepa Ehau: </strong>Glory to God in heaven, peace on earth, goodwill towards all men.</p><p><strong>Leader: </strong>No reira, Te Arawa nga iwi e takoto nei<strong><br />Group: </strong>Au, au, aue ha!<strong><br />Leader: </strong>Toia mai <strong><br />Group: </strong>te waka<strong><br />Leader: </strong>Ki te urunga<strong><br />Group: </strong>te waka<strong><br />Leader: </strong>Ki te moenga<strong><br />Group: </strong>te waka. Ki te takotoranga i takoto ai te waka<br /><strong>Leader: </strong>kia rite</p><p><strong>Hemana Pokiha: </strong>Haramai, haramai, haramai<strong><br />Kepa Ehau: </strong><em>Welcome, welcome, welcome.</em></p><p><strong><strong>Hemana Pokiha</strong>: </strong>Te taonga mate, te taonga me i tukuna mai i te ao, kore noa tatau i Kingi i tera pito o te ao, haere mai korua ko to hoa wahine. <br /><strong>Kepa Ehau: </strong><em>Sir Governor General – the mouth piece and representative of his majesty King George VI welcome with her Excellency Lady Newall.</em></p><p><strong><strong>Hemana Pokiha</strong>: </strong>E ahakoa<strong> </strong>i<strong> </strong>kore au e kite i tera pito o te ao. Kei konei ra koe e noho ana kei roto i o whakaaro mo te iwi Maori, e kukumea nei te aroha o nga tikanga i whakaekea mai nei e to ratau kui e Wikitoria ki roto i te iwi Maori<strong><br />Kepa Ehau: </strong><em>Their majesty’s are in the citadels of the great world. You and your good lady represent them here in this beautiful little country for which we and all ours are prepared to give our all.</em><br /><br /><strong><strong>Hemana Pokiha</strong>: </strong>No reira<strong> </strong>ko tenei whakakotahitanga ki a tatau e kore rawa e taea te whakawetewete. Kore e taea te whakanekeneke, ki roto i te manawa aia nei, a, ake tonu atu <br /><strong>Kepa Ehau: </strong><em>As already signed and sealed by compact so will it go on for generation after generation.</em></p><p><strong><strong>Hemana Pokiha</strong>: </strong>No reira – no reira ra, ka mutu noa ake nga kupu ki a koutou kua oti te korero, i te ra inanahi. Kua oti te korero i tera marae o tatau. Na reira, ko enei noa iho aku korero. E mihi atu nei ahau ki a koutou katoa – tena ra koutou katoa nga iwi o te motu<strong><br />Kepa Ehau: </strong><em>Sir Governor General, Lady Newall once again welcome, welcome, welcome.</em></p><p><em><br /></em></p>
<p><strong>Sound file</strong> from Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, ref: <a href="https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue-item?recor…;. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright.</p>
<p><strong>Major Henry Te Reiwhati Vercoe from Ngati Pikiao and Ngati Tuara gives a speech of welcome to the Governor General Sir Cyril Newall on the ocassion of the opening of the house Tama te Kapua at Ohinemutu, Rotorua.<br /></strong></p><p><strong>Major Vercoe served in the Tauranga Armed Rifle Volunteers, Seventh Contingent in the South African War and in the Pioneer Battalion of World War I. His actions in war earned him the Imperial South African War Medal and the Queen’s South Africa Medal and he was Mentioned in Dispatches in WWI. He was recommended for the Victoria Cross but did not receive it. He tried to enlist with the 28th Maori Battalion but because he had falsified his age in 1901 for the South African War he was turned down as being too old. He was captain in the Rotorua Home Guard battalion, promoted to temporary Major in May 1942, and took command of the Matata Military Camp in February 1943. He became heavily involved in the Maori War Effort Organisation and was posted to the retired list on 28 April 1946 and awarded the New Zealand War Service Medal.</strong></p><p><strong>Major Vercoe's sons, Henry and William, and his nephew Edward Ruhi served with the 28th Maori Battalion.<br /></strong></p><h2>Transcript</h2><p>Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of the Dominion of New Zealand and its dependency, 24th March 1943. </p><p>May it please your Excellency, we the representatives of the Maori tribes of New Zealand assembled at Ohinemutu, Rotorua, greet you and her Excellency Lady Newall and bid you welcome. Welcome to this sacred, humble courtyard of our people where Te Arawa stand guard over this heritage of our ancestors. Honour us with your presence and bring you, with you the tapu of His Majesty the King, whose loyal and loving people we are proud to be. Enter Your Excellency this marae, Te Papaiouru, to perform the official opening of our reconstructed house of assembly, named after our progenitor navigator Tama te Kapua, who traversed the ocean roads from Hawaiiki five centuries ago surmounting the perils of the deep-pitted sea of Tawhaki to found new hope for our people in this land. Since the coming of the Pakeha, we have had to contend with many difficulties, in adapting ourselves to new ideas and a new way of life. So our house of assembly, the contents of our marae and the form of the ceremonial reflects the external influences that have impugned upon us. But we trust that the spirit of the Polynesian lingers in the welcome extended to her Excellency and yourself and in the significance of this gathering this meeting is being held in the midst of the most fateful war in human history. Our King was pleased to call you from the youngest and most powerful arm of his fighting service to be his mouthpiece, his eyes and ears in this the most distant outpost of his Empire. Bear witness then to the twofold determination of his Maori subjects to fight against his Majesty’s enemy and to strive for an honourable and honoured place among the people who owe him allegiance. As his Majesty’s representative we salute you, and ask you to convey to him and to her Majesty the Queen, the loyal message which will now be handed to you. God be with you and yours.</p><p><strong><br /></strong></p>
<p><strong>Sound file</strong> from Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, ref: <a href="https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue-item?recor…;. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright.</p><p><strong>Image <br /></strong>Captain H R Vercoe. S P Andrew Ltd :Portrait negatives. Ref: 1/1-015313-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. <a href="http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22682314">http://natlib.govt.nz/records/2… /></strong></p>
<p><strong>Bishop Frederick Bennett delivers a message to King George on behalf of Maori in New Zealand. The message was conveyed to King George's representative Sir Cyril Newall, Governor General of New Zealand at the opening of Tama te Kapua at Ohinemutu, Rotorua.</strong></p><p><strong>A short announcement from Sir Apirana Ngata who officiated over the proceedings concludes the recording.<br /></strong></p><p><strong>Site editors note: (?) indicates dialogue unclear<br /></strong></p><h2>Transcript</h2><p>An address of loyalty and devotion to His most gracious Majesty King George the VI from his Maori subjects in the Dominion of New Zealand. May it please your Majesty in the midst of the anxieties and tribulations of this universal war, we offer you once again our humble and devoted service and we pray to God that he speed the victory of your arms and of those of the nations who fight with you to preserve freedom and goodwill on earth. May God bless your Majesty and your Queen and your children, avow safe to you all, health in the days that lie ahead. The frustrated enemy sees the gathering might of the United Nations poised for his overthrow and destruction. Already the angels of peace are whispering over lands and seas as they prepare their selves for the tortured peoples of the world. May their ministrations be directed with wisdom and with an understanding of the roots of human ills, in human ambition, greed and selfishness. May they serve mankind with a Christ-like will and selflessness. As the dawn of a much heralded new world breaks painfully and fitfully over black horizons, peoples who are not of your Majesty’s race and blood but who call you King and Emperor wonderingly await the emergence of its face. What will they read there? What do they yearn to find written there? What should they discover portrayed on its battle scarred victorious countenance? Sovereign Lord, your other peoples whose sons and daughters have laid down their lives in your cause, would feign see the face of a man of Galilee down the vistas of the generations ahead so that your own peoples and ours may enjoy in equal measure and with equal dignity and consciousness the blessings of British rule and civilisation. This war for God should cleanse the grass, prevent snobbery and moral pharisaism in those who rule and promote that trust which engenders a native peoples an answering trust, leading to the love which alone can find together, which alone can keep together men and women of diverse races and cultures. In these days of stress and trouble, we greet you. You will be victorious. May you and yours be happy and glorious – God save the King.</p><p><strong>Apirana Ngata: </strong>Me whakatata mai a Te Pokiha raua ko Taiamai … a Hemana raua ko Taiamai. Ko raua hei ringaringa ruru ki to tatau, ta tatau manuhiri.</p><p> </p>
<p><strong>Sound file</strong> from Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, ref: <a href="https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue-item?recor…;. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright.</p><p><strong>Image </strong><span><br />Frederick Augustus Bennett. S P Andrew Ltd :Portrait negatives. Ref: 1/1-018699-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. <a href="http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22642293">http://natlib.govt.nz/records/2…;
<p><strong>Sir Cyril Newall was an officer in the British Army and Royal Force and served as chief of air staff during the first years of World War II. He was sent by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to New Zealand as Governor General (1941-46). After his service in New Zealand he was made Baron Newall of Clifton-upon-Dunsmoore in the county of Warwick. During his time as Governor General he attended many important engagements such as this opening of Tama te Kapua.</strong></p><p><strong>Here the Governor General addresses those present at the ceremony and Kingi Tahiwi provides a translation in Maori. </strong></p><p><strong>The image is from the opening of the house Tawakeheimoa that was opened earlier the same day.<br /></strong></p><h2>Transcript<strong></strong></h2><p><strong>Sir Cyril Newall: </strong>The representatives of the Maori tribes of New Zealand assembled at Ohinemutu, Rotorua. I thank you for your welcome to her Excellency and myself. As the representative of his Majesty, I acknowledge with deep appreciation your loyal message to the King which you have just handed to me. I shall convey that message forthwith; I know that this testimony of love and loyalty from his Maori people will hearten his Majesty in these anxious days. Their Majesty’s the King and Queen are indeed the guardians of their people. They share with them their sorrows and their joys and among those peoples their Maori subjects have an honoured place. The deeds of your warriors are written in letters of everlasting gold in the annals of the British Empire. Their valour has made them feared by our enemies and has earned and won the admiration of all their comrades throughout the Empire. Once more I thank you all for your welcome, I pray that God may be with you and that his blessing may rest upon this meeting house. <br /><strong>Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>E karanga ana e te iwi Maori e tau nei i tenei marae, i Ohinemutu, Rotorua. E mihi ana au kia koutou mo ta koutou pohiritia ara ko maua ko taku hoa. I te mea ko au te mangai o te Kingi e whakaae ana ahau, ae, e mihi ana hoki au ki ta koutou kupu piripono ki te Kingi kua homai nei ki au. Maku e tuku ta koutou kupu, e mohio ana au, ka waiho tena, e mohio ana au, ko tenei tohu o to koutou aroha, me to koutou pono ara o te iwi Maori ka waiho tena hei whakakaha nga whakaaro o te Kingi i enei wa o te awangawangatanga. Ae, ko te Kingi raua ko te Kuini, nga kaitiaki o nga iwi kei raro i to raua mana. Nga pouritanga me nga mamaetanga o nga iwi kei raro i to raua mana, koina hoki nga pouritanga me nga mamaetanga o raua. Ko nga koa, ko nga hari, ko era atu ahuatanga ko nga iwi kei raro ia raua koira ano hoki to raua na ahuatanga. Na, ko te iwi whai honore ana i roto i te manawa o te Kingi raua ko te Kuini, apiti atu ki etahi o nga iwi, ko te iwi Maori. Ko nga mahi a nga toa o te iwi Maori kua tuhia ki roto ki te manawa o te Pakeha ki te reta koura pumau tonu a ki roto hoki ki nga korero mo te Emepaea o Ingarangi. To ratou toa e wahingia ana ratou e te hoariri engari o taua toa ra e whakamoemiti ana nga iwi kei raro i te mana o te Kingi o Ingarangi mo tera toa o te iwi Maori, puta noa, puta noa o te Emepaea. A, ka mihi ana au kia koutou, e mihi ana au kia koutou mo ta koutou pohiri mai kia maua. E inoi ana ahau kia tau te manaakitanga a te Atua ki runga kia koutou, a, kia tiakina koutou, a, kia tau hoki te manaakitanga me te ora me te pai me te rangimarie ki runga ki tenei whare kia Tama te Kapua.</em> </p><p>[crowd applause]</p><p><strong>[Recording ceased for a time here while gifts from Maori were placed before the Governor-General and Lady Newall, and while chiefs and delegates were presented to Their Excellencies’]</strong></p><p><strong>Sir Cyril Newall: </strong>Mr Prime Minister, my Lord Bishop, Taiamai Amohau, Hemana Te Pokiha, Your Worship, Sir Apirana Ngata, Mr Tai Mitchell and all the assembled Maoris here on this marae.<strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>E te Pirimia, e te Pihopa, Taiamai Te Amohau, Hemana Te Pokiha, e te Mea o Rotorua, e Ta Apirana Ngata, e Tai Mitere me nga iwi katoa e pae nei i tenei marae. </em></p><p><strong>Sir Cyril Newall: </strong>Firstly, may I thank you on behalf of Her Excellency and myself, for this very delightful welcome which you’ve given us this afternoon and for I think I can say, one of the most enjoyable afternoons that we have ever experienced.<strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>Tuatahi, e hiahia ana au ki te mihi kia koutou, mo tenei pohiri ataahua a koutou kia maua ko taku hoa. I tenei ahiahi, i tenei awatea, ka kitea au i te ahuatanga o ta koutou pohiri ka tae mai te aroha kia au. No reira ka mihi au kia koutou.</em></p><p><strong>Sir Cyril Newall: </strong>I thank you, for the guard of honour from the Maori Battalion. I thank you for the mounted escort from the Home Guard and I thank you for having drawn up so that I could meet them, that representative assembly of returned soldiers from last war and this present war.<strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>E mihi ana au mo nga iwi kaitieki i au i (?) o nga hoia. E mihi ana au taku taenga mai a ka tutaki au ki nga tangata hoia o tera whawhai. A, e mihi ana au ki nga hoia o te wa kainga, i taku taenga mai, i mua atu ki taku taenga mai ki te marae. </em></p><p><strong>Sir Cyril Newall: </strong>It has been my privilege to witness host dances and native dances in many countries of the world. But may I say that what I have seen today is the best I have ever seen. May I congratulate, particularly those who did the poi and action dances; whether they came from the Arawa, the Ngati Poneke or the Tuhoe. May I also thank and congratulate those from the Maori Battalion who gave the haka. It was my privilege to inspect the first Maori Battalion in England before they went to Egypt. I have also had the privilege of inspecting the second Maori Battalion in the north Auckland province and I can see that those who haven’t joined the Battalion are keeping up the same standards and they are being given physical exercises which enable them to carry them out so thoroughly. <strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>E mihi ana au ki nga mahi e mahi ki runga i te marae nei. E mihi ana au no te mea he tangata au kua kitea ki nga mahi Maori o te ao nei, te huhua</em><strong> </strong><em>mai o tenei mea o te mahi Maori, a nga iwi kirimate(?). Ko taku taenga mai ki konei i tenei rangi katahi au ka kite i nga mahi Maori a te iwi Maori taea mai ki te taumata o te pae nei. Ka nui te whakamoemiti, ki te poi a Te Arawa, ka nui taku mihi kia Ngati Poneke, ka nui taku miharo kia Tuhoe. </em></p><p><strong>Sir Cyril Newall: </strong>The opening of this meeting house is a very great and solemn occasion. Our thoughts today are with those who have gone before us and whom this building commemorates. With the great ones of your people, from Tama te Pakura (Tama te Kapua), very difficult for me, the great navigator, down through the generations of your fathers, sons and brothers who sailed across the sea to fight and die for King George and for our Empire.<strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>Ko tenei wa, ko te whakatuwhera i tenei whare he wa nui, he wa tapu. O tatou mahara i tenei ra kei te huri whakamuri, ki nga tipuna, ki nga koroua kua heke atu ki te po. Kia ratou ma, kia whakaturia ai i tenei whare hei whakamaharatanga mo ratou. Hei whakamaharatanga kia Tama te Kapua, te tangata nana i whakawhiti mai te Moana nui a Kiwa, a, hei whakamaharatanga ki nga mahi a o koutou tipuna i tuku iho ki nga whakatipuranga, tuku iho, tuku iho, tuku iho. Ki o koutou matua, ki o koutou tamariki, ki o koutou taina, ki o koutou tuakana kua tukuna ia ratou ki te pae o te pakanga kia mate mo te Kingi, mo Kingi Hori, me to tatou Emepaea.</em></p><p><strong>Sir Cyril Newall: </strong>It is no mere formal honour which we pay them today. We pledge ourselves here and now to do our utmost to be worthy of them. That is no easy task, for they have set us an example which is hard indeed to follow. But their spirits watch over us and their deeds inspire us to meet our difficulties and to overcome them. They have handed down to us a great and noble inheritance, which it is our bound and duty to preserve and hand on to our children. <strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>Ehara tenei te honore hanga noa. I tenei ra ka oati tatou, kia kaha tatou, kia tae ki te mutunga mai o tatou kaha kia rite ai i o tatou mahi ki nga mahi a o tatou tipuna. Ehara tena i te mahi mama. No te mea ko te tauira i tuku iho ai ia ratou kia tatou he tauira uaua ki te whai. Engari ra, ko to ratou mana rangatira, kei runga kei a tatou. Ko a ratou mahi, kei te riringia iho ki te tumanakotanga o te whakaaro kia kaha ai tatou ki te turaki i nga uauatanga e tae mai ki mua i o tatou aroaro. Na, ko tenei taonga, e tika ana, kia whawhangia e tatou kia tuku iho tatou kia tatou tamariki ki tena tupuranga ki tena tupuranga, i runga i te pai, i te tika, i te rangimaria. </em></p><p><strong>Sir Cyril Newall: </strong>The Maori people of New Zealand have earned an honoured place amongst the peoples of the world. Their courage, their loyalty, are bi-words with both friend and foe and these qualities have been fostered in them down the ages. Your traditions stretch back into the dim distances of history and are a most priceless heritage, for tradition is the firmest foundation on which to build progress. Your language, folklore, songs and dances, handed down as they have been from generation to generation are the soul of your people. <strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>Ko te iwi Maori o Niu Tireni kua whai honore ki nga iwi katoa o te ao. Ko tana toa me tana piripono, hei kupu tena kei te ngutu o tena iwi, o tena iwi, o tena iwi. Ko enei momo, enei momo rangatira, he mea ngaki mai i nga wa ki muri a tae mai ana ki tenei ra. Ko a koutou tikanga e hoki whakamuri ana, ki muri ra ano, kei roto kei a koutou wananga, kei a koutou whakahaere, kei roto i a koutou korero, enei ahuatanga o te iwi Maori. He tino taonga nui te tikanga Maori. He tino taonga nui. Koira ia te tino kaupapa o tenei mea o te toa ko te piki i te taumata o te ora. Ko [ou] korero, ko ou tikanga, ko ou waiata, ko ou tuwaewae, he mea tukuiho ki nga whakatupuranga, tukuiho, tuku iho, tuku iho. Ko ena mahi, ko tena te wairua mana Maori o te iwi Maori. </em></p><p><strong>Sir Cyrill Newall: </strong>The art and teachings of your forefathers are in your hands and if you should fail to pass them onto your children, the loss to your people and to the world would be incalculable. But I know you will not fail. The care and skill with which you have fashioned this house are a testimony that you are mindful of your traditions and reverent of the past.<strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>Mehemea ki te ngaro i a koutou nga mahi a o koutou tipuna, he tino ngaro, he tino mate nui whakaharahara tena. Engari e mohio ana au ka mau tonu ia koutou. Ko te ahuatanga o te mahinga o te whare nei, te pai o te mahi a ia, te ataahua o tenei mahi. He kawenata, he whakaatu katoa tenei i te mohio i te pai o nga tikanga a o koutou tipuna mai ano ki era ra ano tae mai ki naianei. </em></p><p><strong>Sir Cyrill Newall: </strong>But it is not only your own Maori traditions which we are celebrating today. We are celebrating too the first hundred years of Maori allegiance to the British throne. Your chiefs at Waitangi signed a Treaty in which they pledged allegiance to the great white Queen. Today, you have reaffirmed your loyalty to Queen Victoria’s great grandson King George the VI.<strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>Ehara i te mea ko tenei he ta tatou he whakahaere nei i tenei rangi whakamahara ana. Engari e whakamahara ana tatou i te rautau o te piriponotanga o te iwi Maori ki te iwi Pakeha. Na o koutou tipuna, na o koutou tipuna rangatira i nga wa ki muri i haina te Tiriti o Waitangi, i haina te Tiriti o Waitangi kia whakatu tana piripono ki te Kuini, ara, kia Kuini Wikitoria. A, i tenei ra, kei te whakapumau koutou ki taua piripono ki te mokopuna tuarua a Kuini Wikitoria kia Kingi Hori te tuaono. </em></p><p><strong>Sir Cyril Newall: </strong>It is my honour to represent our greatest sovereign in this his most distant Dominion. And I know that his Maori people are ever in his heart. When her Excellency and I had the honour of being received at Buckingham Palace just before we came to New Zealand, the King and the Queen both spoke to us of their visit to these islands. They remember particularly the welcome which you gave them here and I believe on this very spot.<strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>Whai honore ahau kia whakaturia ko ahau hei mangai mo te Kingi, ara hei mangai mona ki tenei Tominiana, pāmaomao mai i tona ake nei whenua. A, e mohio ana hoki au e tino kaha ana te aroha o to tatou Kingi ki te iwi Maori. Te takiwa i tae ai maua ko taku hoa wahine ki te aroaro o te Kingi ki tana kainga ki Buckingham i mua o to maua taenga mai ki Niu Tireni nei ka korero mai te Kingi raua ko te Kuini ki to raua taenga mai ki konei, ki to raua pohiritanga, ko Te Arawa ano i tenei takiwa tonu a ki te marae nei.</em></p><p><strong>Sir Cyril Newall: </strong>The citizenship of the British Empire is a great privilege and like all privileges it carries with it great responsibility.<strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>Kua tau uru ki raro i te mana o te Kingi o Ingarangi, he tino honore nui tena mo te tangata. Engari ko taua honore nui ra ka waha ano hoki i te mahi taumaha.</em></p><p><em></em><strong>Sir Cyril Newall: </strong>The forces(?) of the Maori Battalion, the war effort of the Maori people in defence of this country and in defence of industries; the land which they have cultivated over and above their own requirements; these are all clear proof of your determination to carry your full share of our common burden. <strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>Ko te toa a o koutou tamariki e noho mai i te pae o te pakanga, ko te pai o te mahi, ara, ko te mahi a te roopu o nga iwi o te motu ko te whakahaere i nga tikanga, mahi ahuwhenua me era atu tikanga, kia whai tikanga ai hoki hei aroha ki nga mahi o te whawhai – he whakaatu katoa tenei i to koutou whakaaro tuturu kia riro i o koutou, te wahanga kia koutou o nga mahi e tika ai tatou.</em></p><p><strong>Sir Cyril Newall: </strong>The King’s enemies threaten and conspire to overthrow our Empire and with it all that we hold most sacred. They would enslave us and our children. But we are free and none shall wrest from us this freedom. Whatever the cost to ourselves, our children shall receive from us untarnished the heritage we hold in trust for them.<strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>Ko nga hoariri o te Kingi kei te ngangara mai kia a ia, ko to ratou hiahia ka patu te Emepaea, a, me nga taonga katoa kei roto taua Emepaea. Ko to ratou hiahia hei whakataurekareka ia tatou. Ko tatou, he momo rangatira katoa tatou. Ko tenei taku korero e kore rawa tatou e whakaae kia whakataurekareka kia tatou e to tatou hoariri. He ahakoa te uaua o te mahi o te turaki i tenei hoariri, e mohio ana au ka taea ai tatou te whakahaere o nga tikanga e mate ia tatou. Ko tenei taonga, o te momo toa, o te momo tupono, he taonga nui tenei hei tukuiho ma tatou, kia tatou tamariki. Ahakoa pewhea, te ekeeke, te hohonu, o te uauatanga o te mahi kia pera te ahua. </em></p><p><strong>Sir Cyril Newall: </strong>Long may this building stand as a reminder to us and to those who follow us of the glories of the past, long may it inspire the Maori people to guard their heritage at all times. Let us vow that we shall not flinch from any sacrifice that maybe necessary to enable those who follow us to fear God, honour the King and love the Brotherhood. Tatou, tatou, kia ora koutou katoa.<strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>Kia tu roa kia ora ra tenei whare kua oti nei te mahi. Kia ora ra kia tu roa hei kainga mo nga whakatipuranga tukuiho nei. Nga ahuatanga o tatou tipuna kia monoa(?). Ko te tumanako o te whakaaro o tenei whare e tu nei hei riringi ko te tumanakotanga o te whakaaro ki roto ki te manawa o te tangata kia piki ai te ahuatanga o nga mahi i nga wa katoa, ara te taonga o te iwi Maori, ana tikanga me era atu ahuatanga katoa. No reira, me oati tatou inaianei. E ahakoa pewhea te uaua o nga mahi, ka mau tonu tatou ki te mahi i o mahi, a, oti noa ia tatou. Oti noa ia tatou, i runga i tenei ahuatanga tae ai e tatou te arahi i nga iwi ia tatou, ki te mahi ki te Atua, ki te whakahonore ki te Kingi, a, i te aroha o tetahi ki tetahi. No reira, tatou tatou, kia ora koutou katoa.</em></p><p><strong><br /></strong></p>
<p><strong>Sound file</strong> from Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, ref: <a href="https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue-item?recor…;. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright.</p><p><strong>Image<br /></strong><span>Governor General Sir Cyril Newall giving his address at the opening of the Centennial Memorial meeting house Tawakeheimoa at Te Awahou Marae, Lake Rotorua. Pascoe, John Dobree, 1908-1972 :Photographic albums, prints and negatives. Ref: 1/4-000237-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. <a href="http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22431643">http://natlib.govt.nz/records/2…;
<p><strong>Prime Minister Peter Fraser addresses the gathering at the opening of the house Tama te Kapua in 1943.</strong></p><p><strong>The image above shows the Prime Minister at a New Zealand advanced dressing station at Atina, Italy. The Prime Minister Peter Fraser met a wounded Maori soldier, who is a friend of a friend of Mr Fraser's. <br /></strong></p><h2>Transcript</h2><p><strong>Prime Minister: </strong>To be associated in the name of the government with the fine mutual tributes that are being paid here this afternoon, first by yourselves, in honouring with your presence, this important occasion – the opening of the whare runanga of the Ngati Whakaue people – Tama te Kapua and also the reciprocal tributes that have been so sincerely paid to your Excellencies by their representatives of the Maori race and particularly of the Arawas and the Ngati Whakaue people who have spoken this afternoon.<br /><strong>Kingi Tahiwi:</strong><em><strong> </strong>E te Kawanatianara, korua ko to hoa wahine, kia ora korua. Ka nui taku koa mo to huihui mai ki konei ki te iwi Maori, a, mo te taha ki te kawanatanga ki te pohiri ia koe kia tae mai i tenei marae. Ka nui taku koa moku kia tae mai ki konei ki tēnei whare wananga, ki tēnei whare runanga tino ataahua, o Te Arawa ara o Ngati Whakaue. Heoi ano te mihi iho inaianei o te whakaaro kia tau te ahuatanga o te pai kua whiua mai nei e te iwi Maori kia koe a ko tau pihopa i te pai kia ratou. No reira kia ora koe.</em></p><p><strong>Prime Minister: </strong>I am glad to have the opportunity with the other Ministers of the Crown - the Honourable Minister of Native Affairs, the Honourable Minister representing the Maori race and representing them so ably in the Cabinet; the Minister of Rehabilitation, and their Chairman and the members of the Rehabilitation Board. I’m proud to be here, on this hospitable marae of the Ngati Whakaue people, a marae that which I am happily no stranger.<br /><strong>Translator: </strong><em>Ka nui taku koa mo te taenga mai ki konei o etahi o aku Minita ara o te Minita Maori o te Meihana, apiti atu ki te Minita mo te Whakaora I Te Ahuatanga ia tatau tamariki ka hoki mai i te whawhai a i nga mea hoki kei konei. E koa ana ahau mo to matou huinga mai ki konei, ara te matakitaki i tēnei ahuatanga ki runga i te marae o Ngati Whakaue, i mua i to ratou whare runanga i a Tama te Kapua.</em></p><p><strong>Prime Minister: </strong>I am glad to have the opportunity of meeting here the other tribes of the Arawa confederation, the Tuhourangi’s from Whakarewarewa and all the others and also to see representatives and I’m glad to see they keep here today well enough to come here, the Tuwharetoa, the other part of the Arawa people. I’m glad to see the representatives of the Ngati Porou, the Tuhoes, the Ngati Awas, the Ngapuhis, all the others and not least the tribe that has come in for a musical purpose into existence in Wellington and they are doing such wonderful work there, for our soldiers, our wounded men and for our American friends who have come – the Ngati Poneke.<strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi:</strong> <em>E koa ana moku kua tae mai ki tenei marae kua tutaki ki nga hapu o Te Arawa, kia Tuhourangi a kia era atu iwi kia tae mai ki tēnei marae – kia Tuhoe, kia Ngapuhi, kia Ngati Awa, a whakamutunga ki tēnei iwi hou kua tae mai nei ki waenganui ia koutou, e mahi nui nei a ratou i a tatou tamariki kua kai-a-kikotia kei nga hohipera i Poneke, tenei iwi kia Ngati Poneke.</em><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Prime Minister: </strong> And I am glad to hear of what happened on this marae early this morning. When King Koroki and Princess Te Puea representing the Waikato people met in such friendly concourse, the Arawa people.<strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>Anei hoki i taku koa mo taku rongo mai kua tae mai ki konei ta koutou tama a Kingi Koroki raua ko Te Puea. Na, ka nui hoki i taku koa i taku rongo a i houhou i a te rongo ia waenganui a Te Arawa raua ko Waikato i na koa ma.</em></p><p><strong>Prime Minister: </strong>May that meeting be symbolically of the future unity of all the Maori people<strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>A, i tumanako toku manawa ko tera hohoutanga i te rongo, ko tera hono mai ia raua, kia pera hoki te hono o nga iwi katoa o te motu nei, puta noa, puta noa, puta noa.</em></p><p><strong>Prime Minister: </strong>Sir Apirana Ngata stated that he and I were one. That is true - one in our desire for the welfare of the Native people and of all the people of the Dominion.<strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>Kua korero atu a Ta Apirana kia koutou, he kotahi ana maua – ae. He kotahi ana maua i runga i te ahuatanga o te kimionga mo te iwi Maori, mo nga iwi kei konei, kei Niu Tireni e pae ana.</em></p><p><strong>Prime Minister: </strong>Sometimes, impatience is not confined to one side<strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>Aa, i etahi wa kei te hoha noa hoki tetahi taha</em></p><p><strong>Prime Minister: </strong>And we hope it will not be existent at all in the future<strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>Ko te tumanako, te whakaaro, ae nei wa e haere ake nei na ka horoia ake era atu hohatanga.</em></p><p><strong>Prime Minister: </strong>Because we have a great New Zealand to build up - the New Zealand that our boys, the Maori boys and the Pakeha boys, are fighting for.<br /> <strong>Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>No reira, koira taku tumanako ra, he tumanako, kia tu kotahi a Niu Tireni, te Niu Tireni o nga tamariki Pakeha o nga tamariki Maori e noho mai i te pae o te pakanga mo tatou, mo ratou ka hoki mai kia tino nui kia eke ki te taumata ki te pae kia puta mai ki Niu Tireni, a to ratou hokinga mai.</em></p><p><strong>Prime Minister: </strong>Today as we pay such a sincere and heartfelt tribute to those who in the last war and in this war have shed their blood, have laid down their lives for us and have passed on before us. Let us also remember that today in Tunisia, your boys, the Maori boys and the New Zealand Pakeha boys are at this very moment striking other blows for freedom and liberty and security for this land.<br /><strong>Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>I nga wa ka hoki whakamuri ai o tatou mahara kia tatou tamariki i mate atu i tera whawhai nui. E hoki ana hoki o tatou whakaaro me huri mai o tatou whakaaro ki era o tatou tamariki i homai ia i te pae o te pakanga i Tunisia. Kei reira e aki ana ano i te hoariri kia ora ai tatou.</em></p><p><strong>Prime Minister: </strong>And Sir Apirana Ngata referred to taxes that wonderful haka was generated, was conceived in resentment against taxes. I thought when I saw that haka and admired it and was carried away with it … never saw any better and I congratulate all those who have participated. But I’m referring now to the, that Ngati Porou haka that the Maori Battalion gave. When I saw that I thought, now there I have a bright idea if taxes will bring forward such artistry and such fine hakas we must have more of them, more taxes (crowd laughter) <br /><strong>Kingi Tahiwi: </strong> <em>I runga I taku matakitaki kia koutou haka i tenei marae, ka whakamoemiti au ki te pai o a koutou haka. Mo te ekenga mai o nga tamariki nei ki te marae nei, ka whiu a wai te haka a Ngati Porou ka penei au, mehemea hei pera te kino o nga iwi mo nga taake, ara ka pera ka papai nga haka, ka whakatipu te tangata kia pera te tūwaewae kia kaha, a, mehemea ano he taake kia pai mana.</em></p><p><strong>Prime Minister: </strong>I want to congratulate all who have entertained us; it’s been a wonderful afternoon that will live in our memories forever. Those of our visitors, some representing our forces from the Mother Country of the Pakeha, others representing our American friends who are here today. All of us must feel proud that we are meeting on the marae where the flags of the United Nations are flying. <br /><strong>Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>E mihi ana au ki nga mahi i mahi i mua i tenei marae i tenei rangi. E mihi ana au mo te ekenga ki te taumata o te pae. Na hoki kei konei e noho ana nga manuhiri mai o tera wahi o Ingarangi kei konei e noho ana e matakitaki ana. Tae hoki kia tatou manuhiri, nga manuhiri o Amerika kei konei e whakamoemiti, a e mihi ana ki o koutou mahi.</em></p><p><strong>Prime Minister: </strong>On behalf of all of us, I want to thank, all those that have entertained us. When we come to Rotorua we of course expect to get the very best in Maori artistry and never, never are disappointed. But when we saw some of the others, the Ngati Poneke whom some of us know – I want to congratulate them. Then some whom I’ve never been privileged to see – the Tuhoe people – well I can’t express our gratitude sufficient for their fine performances.<br /><strong>Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>E mihi ana au kia Te Arawa mo nga mahi a Te Arawa i au i tae mai ki konei. I tenei ra tino eke rawa mai te painga ki au i ta te ahua o ratou mahi. E hiahia hoki ana ahau te whakamoemiti kia Ngati Poneke mo ratou i tae mai ki tēnei marae i tēnei ra. Engari, ko te tino mihi, ko taku tino mihi kia Tuhoe te iwi kare ano au i tutaki ki nga ra ki muri - te rawe ta ratou mahi.</em></p><p><strong>Prime Minister: </strong>I only wish Hitler could have heard what these boys said about him and want to threaten him.<br /> <strong>Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>He mea ake kei konei ano a Hitara e rongo ana i nga korero, i nga ueue a nga tamariki nei, kare ano e mohio ka pewhea ra tona ahua.</em></p><p><strong>Prime Minister: </strong>And the Maori threats are not empty threats as he knows already<strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>Ki ta the Maori ko tana meke e mamae ana</em></p><p><strong>Prime Minister: </strong>Now in conclusion, may I just thank our friend Mr Mitchell<strong><br />Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>Na hei whakamutua i aku korero e hiahia ana au ki te mihi ki to tatou hoa, kia Tai</em></p><p><strong>Prime Minister:</strong> There’s no more sincere friend of both races, no man who morally places himself or does more for the benefit of both races than our friend Mr Tai Mitchell<br /> <strong>Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>To Tai katoa nga hua ko te whai i nga ahuatanga e tipu ai te pai i waenganui te Pakeha raua ko te Maori, engari koia te hikoia ki muri kare ia e tu i mua, no reira ka nui rawa taku mihi ki a ia</em></p><p><strong>Prime Minister: </strong>And with a spirit that he and his family shows, with the spirit of the Ngati Whakaue, and the Tuhourangi and the Arawa people show when we meet them in Rotorua and they’re the spirit that pervades the whole of the Maori people. That goes on, and if it’s reciprocated as it will be by the Pakeha people, then our work of building up a newer, a brighter, a better New Zealand, will be completely successful. Kia ora to the Arawas and all the Maori people.<br /><strong>Kingi Tahiwi: </strong><em>Mehemea e whai ana te Pakeha i nga tikanga a Tuhourangi raua ko Whakaue noho pai, noho i runga i te rangimaria, e mohio ana au tena te pai nui e puta i te katoa i te minenga o Niu Tireni, kia ora koutou katoa.</em></p>
<p><strong>Sound file</strong> from Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, ref: <a href="https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue-item?recor…;. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright.</p><p><span><strong>Image<br /></strong>Bull, George Robert, 1910-1966. Prime Minister Peter Fraser with wounded Maori soldier at NZ advanced dressing staton at Atina, Italy, World War II - Photograph taken by George Bull. New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency. Ref: DA-05894-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. <a href="http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22719116">http://natlib.govt.nz/records/2…;
<p><strong>Sir Apirana Ngata officiated over the proceedings at the opening of the house Tama te Kapua at Ohinemutu, Rotorua in 1943. In this recording he welcomes the Prime Minister, Governor General and his wife.</strong></p><h2>Transcript</h2><p><strong></strong><strong>Introduction - Apirana Ngata: </strong> I’m asked to introduce Rotorua recording 8A. The caption is a speech of welcome to the Prime Minister and their Excellencies by myself. This was in March of 1943. I was and I am not a member of the Arawa tribe but they did me the honour of asking me to act as one of the hosts on the occasion of the opening of the Tama-te-kapua Meeting House. I was also their representative in parliament at that time. In that capacity I was in order in making the speech of welcome recorded below and which explains itself.</p><p><strong>Apirana Ngata speech: </strong>Mr Fraser we’ve arrived at the time when we will have to speed on with the program in so far as those receiving you are concerned and their Excellencies. All I have to say is, in the words of your old friend Timi Kara, ‘tatau tatau’. You and we are one in the deference we are paying to their Excellencies today and all our visitors. And I want to extend to you and the members of the Ministry here present and also to Mr Parry who unfortunately could not attend today, the thanks of all the Maori tribes assembled here for what has been done for our people - for their uplift, their betterment and all the opportunities that are being afforded to them. I know you have very much in your heart, my friend Mr Mitchell here, and through him the tribe that he so ably leads, and so kia ora to you. <br /><br />Ah, your Excellencies – I haven’t much to add to the greetings of the Maori tribes presented to you here today. Presently they will hand over to you for transmission to his Majesty the King an address of royalty from the Maori tribes. One doesn’t want to stress that too much at this time - we’re all in the same boat, all doing our best during a very difficult period. I have just this to say, that one of your predecessors, this was at Waitangi about nine years ago, in his address there said this: you judge of a people by their monuments, you judge of a people by their monuments. Here is one of the great monuments of a Maori tribe. The mere fact that they have in this building completed the third reconstruction of their name ancestor should show that the spirit in them, which brought them to this land, is not yet dead. And so judge of your Arawa people by the monument which they have so assiduously erected with the help of the government in the last decade. And you will appreciate the attempt that our people are making under all sorts of handicaps the greatest of which is the pull of Western civilisation to maintain worthwhile elements in their culture. It’s not always a well understood thing. We get any amount of lavish praise about our arts and crafts. We have plenty of professions about maintaining these, but I tell you it’s quite a little war in itself to get one of these done. That is why at the beginning with your Excellencies' permission I tendered the thanks of the Maori race to the present Prime Minister and the members of his cabinet who have assisted us in doing what we have accomplished up to date. Now, besides being our Governor General you are an Englishman. We have the breed here, ah, thriving very well and we are getting in this climate, a very good climate, quite unexpected developments of the material imported from the country which we've not seen yet – your Hawaiki. I don’t want to refer to the weeds that the Pakeha have brought, you hear my young friend here, you have the translation of that very eloquent expression of Maori opinion, what they said was this: it was because of the dirtiness of the Maori, his uncleanliness, his vile customs that brought you to New Zealand to try and civilise them. Ah, they went on further when they said, instead of confining themselves to civilising the Maori they grabbed their lands and they put the whole of a century into two very eloquent words, three eloquent words – two borrowed from your language which I will not attempt to put in the original. One from the language of this country, they weren’t civilised enough to develop a wide range of swear words, but they used one there today. </p><p>Now, it is on these occasions your Excellency that a chief is recognised by one thing in these entertainments and their hakas and that is by the adjectives they use and you should feel very honoured that they used some on the occasion of your visit to Rotorua. That is a former Governor General did not understand and I had the job to make him understand, that it only shows you can fittingly receive a great chief to our marae. We extend to you and Lady Newall our congratulations that you are in God’s own country. At the same time we wish to acknowledge through you as through former Governor Generals the great gesture that England makes to the native races throughout the Empire. There’s a lot to do yet, but I won’t tell you about that, I deal with other gentlemen when I refer to those ones. But take it by and large, although on occasion we spit it out, take it by and large the native races who are under the British flag should deem themselves as we the Maori people at the end of the century, deem ourselves to be very fortunate enough to be under the British Crown. I want to tell you a secret, really I like the Pakeha, but there are times when you get impatient with them. So, welcome to Rotorua, do the marae honour and our Arawa people and through them the whole of the representatives of the Maori race because they’re all here, the honour that you’ve been conferred on them by gracing them with your presence here today. Kia ora.</p>
<p><strong>Sound file</strong> from Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, ref: <a href="https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue-item?recor…;. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright.</p><p><strong>Image</strong><br />Sir Apirana Ngata with his granddaughter, Wiki White. Pascoe, John Dobree, 1908-1972 :Photographic albums, prints and negatives. Ref: 1/4-000252-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. <a href="http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22761154">http://natlib.govt.nz/records/2…;
<p><strong>The <acronym title="dance of challenge and welcome; chant with accompanying actions">haka</acronym> Te Kiringutu and Ruaumoko are performed by Reinforcements of the Maori Battalion in attendance at the opening of the house Tama te Kapua at Ohinemutu, Rotorua in 1943. The haka are lead by Lt Wi Pewhairangi Reedy. As Sir Apirana Ngata emphasises in his introduction, the record is valuable because many of the men who took part in it died later in service overseas.</strong></p><h2>Transcript</h2><p><strong></strong><strong>Apirana Ngata: </strong>At the Opening of the Reconstructed Tama-te-kapua Meeting House at Rotorua, Reinforcements to the Maori Battalion which had been trained at Ohaewai and other places in the North Auckland area was strongly represented at the opening ceremony. We have here two items one known as <strong>Te Kiringutu</strong> belonging to the category of Songs of hakas of derision, where the Maori people literally make rude gestures with their noses to the pakeha. And the other haka is the famous East Coast classic known as <strong>Ruamoko. </strong></p><p><strong></strong>The party is composed entirely of men of the reinforcements of the Battalion was led by Lieutenant Wi Pewhairangi Reedy, first cousin to Lieutenant Moana Ngarimu the VC. After the items were delivered these young men were called into the Ngati Porou House of Assembly and told that they hadn’t quite done it as well as their elders would do. Some faults about enunciation and so on but there was no doubt about the vigour of the performance both in the vocal part of it and in the gesticulation. The record is a valuable one because many of the men who took part in it died later in service overseas.</p><p><strong>[Haka: Te Kiringutu]</strong></p><p><strong>Leader:</strong> Ka whakata hoki au i ahau<strong><br />Group:</strong> Hi aue hi!<br /><strong>Leader:</strong> Ponga ra, ponga ra! <br /><strong>Group:</strong> Ahaha! Ka tataki mai te Whare o nga Ture!<br />Ka whiria ra te Maori! Ka whiria!<br />E ngau nei ona reiti, e ngau nei ona taake!<br />A ha ha! Te taea te ueue! I aue! Hei!</p><p><strong>Leader:</strong> Ponga ra, ponga ra! <br /><strong>Group:</strong> Ahaha! Ka tataki mai te Whare o nga Ture!<br />Ka whiria ra te Maori! Ka whiria!<br />E ngau nei ona reiti, e ngau nei ona taake!<br />A ha ha! Te taea te ueue! I aue! Hi!</p><p><strong>Leader:</strong> I a ha ha!<br /><strong>Katoa:</strong> Na nga mema ra te koheriheri<br />Na te Kawana ra te kohuru!<br />Ka raruraru nga ture!<br />Ka raparapa ki te pua torori! I aue, hi!</p><p>(Taparahi)</p><p><strong>Leader</strong>: Torona titaha<br />Kaore hoki te mate o te whenua e<br />Te makere atu ki raro ra!<br />Katoa: A ha ha! Iri tonu mai runga<br />O te kiringutu mau mai ai,<br />Hei tipare taua ka heke to totoa!<br />A ha ha!<br />Na te ngutu o te Maori, pohara, kai-kutu,<br />na te weriweri ko’ i homai ki konei?<br />E, kaore i ara. <br />I haramai tonu koe ki te kai whenua! <br />Purari paka! Kauramokai, hei!</p><p><strong>Kaea:</strong> A ha ha!<br /><strong>Katoa:</strong> Te puta atu hoki te ihu o te waka i nga torouka o Niu Tireni<br />Ka paia pukutia mai e nga uaua o te ture a te Kawana!<br />Te taea te ueue! Kss Aue! Kss Aue! Kss aue, hi! <br />Hi aue, hi </p><p><strong>Apirana Ngata: </strong>Tuarua? Waiho kia ta nga manawa<strong>. </strong><br />I want to explain to Mr Fraser what this all means, fortunately it didn’t happen in his time. This haka was composed about sixty years ago when the first tobacco tax came in. Mr Paikea will explain that the ‘torori’ is the Maori addiction to the American tobacco plant and the Maori of those days thought it was very rough that their ‘torori’ tobacco should be taxed. So that shows you that these young fellas remember those things after the last eighty years. Kia ora koutou.</p><p>E Wi, e kii ka raparapa i te hua torori. Ana tana kaupapa e Wi<br /><br />Tohe nei ki te reti, ki te hoko, ki te kukuru paka<br />Whakatau ai nga whenua, hei<br />Whakatau ai te ture, hei<br />Nga mea ma te kohuru<br />Hei kuri i te kōheriheri<br />Kia raruraru nga ture<br />Kia raparapa ki te kura torori e ao e <br />A, na to koutou tipuna, na Tuta Nihoniho te mea nei e mahi</p><p><strong>[Haka: Ruamoko] <br /></strong></p><p><strong>Leader: </strong> A, ko Ruaumoko e ngunguru nei!<br /><strong>Group:</strong> Au! Au! Aue ha!<br /><strong>Leader:</strong> Ko Ruaumoko e ngunguru nei!<br /><strong>Group:</strong> Au! Au! Aue ha, hi!<br /><strong>Leader:</strong> I a ha ha!<br /><strong>Group:</strong> E ko te rakau a Tungawerewere! A ha ha!<br />He rakau tapu, na Tutaua ki a Uenuku,<br />I patukia ki te tipuaki o Rangitopeka,<br />Pakaru te upoko o Rangitopeka, <br />Patua ki waenganui o te tau ki Hikurangi, <br />He toka whakairo, e tu ake nei,<br />He atua! He tangata! He atua! He tangata, ho!<br /><br /><strong>Leader:</strong> Aue he atua, he atua, Taupare-taitoko,<br />Kia kitea e Paretaitoko te whare haunga!<br /><strong>Group:</strong> A ha ha! Ka whakatete mai o rei, he kuri! Au au!<br /><strong>Leader:</strong> I a ha ha!<br /><strong>Group:</strong> Na wai parehua taku hope (kia) whakaka te rangi<br />Kia tare au! Kss!</p><p><strong>Leader:</strong> He roha te kawau!<br /><strong>Group:</strong> Kss a!<br /><strong>Leader:</strong> Kei te poutara<br /><strong>Group:</strong> Tu ka tete, ka tete! Tau ha!<br /><strong>Leader:</strong> Aue, ko komako komako!<br /><strong>Group:</strong> E ko te hautapu e rite ki te kai na Matariki,<br />Tapareireia koi tapa!<br />Tapa konunua koiana tukua!<br />I aue hi ha hi!</p><p><strong>Apirana Ngata:</strong> A, na huri ta koutou haka e Wi, kei au etahi kupu torutoru mo tatau manuhiri</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p><strong>Sound file</strong> from Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, ref: <a href="https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue-item?recor…;. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright.</p>
